I mean, the least Ron Rivera and Gary Kubiak can do to thank Fox for losing and leaving is send him an Amazon gift card he can use to buy a book on clock management.

Fox's replacements with the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos have taken their teams to the Super Bowl 50, and one of them will become a Super Bowl champion. Fox is football Buck Showalter. This Super Bowl is Bob Brenly vs. Joe Torre.

The easy line is to suggest the Bears whack Fox right now this very minute and hurry.

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But no. Wait until he takes the Bears to the Super Bowl and loses. The first is a good bet, the second is a better one.

Fox's history says he's a quick-turnaround coach. Fox's history also suggests someone else will have to win a Super Bowl for the Bears.

The defenses, though, are killer. Tom Brady is probably still feeling imaginary shakes this morning. Carson Palmer staged a career yard sale.

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There is only defense because defense is the fastest way to respectability, and Fox starts with defense.

His influence, or maybe I should say his obsession, is seen on the Super Bowl teams. It has been seen here already and will continue to be.

In Fox's first season, the Bears defense finished remarkably well considering it needs improvement at almost every position.

Broncos general manager and executive vice president of football operations John Elway, left, is flanked by head coach Gary Kubiak as he holds the AFC Championship trophy. (Charlie Riedel / AP)

Imagine what Fox and the amazing Vic Fangio could do with their own players. Imagine what they could do with defensive ends made for the 3-4. Imagine what they could do with NFL-caliber inside linebackers. Imagine what they could do with a secondary capable of making plays on the ball, not just cleaning up the linebackers' messes.

If Clausen hadn't stunk in the 2010 season the way Bears fans came to know, then the Panthers might not have gone 2-14 in Fox's last season in Carolina and might've missed drafting Cam Newton with the top overall pick in 2011.

And another thing: In case you doubted that this is Super Bowl John Fox, the Broncos had the second pick in the 2011 draft and selected defensive end Von Miller.

Von, Cam, have you two kids met? You will, I suspect.

We can only assume the Patriots played it straight, because if they found a new way to cheat but still lost, then Bill Voldemort has lost his touch.

Brady threw two interceptions, only one TD, was sacked four times, and finished with a career-playoff-worst 48.2 completion percentage and 56.4 quarterback rating. Geez, even Jay Cutler fared better against the Broncos defense this season.